Why do so many troops come through Bangor, Maine?
Aron Gaudet: Bangor, Maine is the main exit and entry point for the majority of soldiers going to Iraq and Afghanistan and returning home. The flights may start at bases all over the country, such as Fort Hood in Texas or Camp Pendleton in California, but these flights all land in Bangor to refuel. So all the troops come into the terminal for a couple of hours, and then they head over. If they’re coming back, Bangor is the first piece of U.S. soil on which they set foot before they head to their homes. POV: And how did you come upon the subject of troop greeters? Gaudet: Joan, one of the troop greeters profiled in the film, is my mom. When I was in Michigan and she was in Maine I would call home and check on her often. After she retired, she really didn’t have a lot of hobbies and a lot of things that were keeping her active. One day I called home and she wasn’t there, and then suddenly I couldn’t get her on the phone, and I was uncertain about what was going on. When I finally talked
